Cream-separator.



No. 642,503. Patented Ian. 30, I900.

J. STEFFEE.

CREAM SEPARATOR. (Application filed May 29 1899.)

(No Model.)

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- tion of the device.

NITED STATES PATENT FFIc.

JOHN STEFFEE, OF MARYVILLE, MISSOURI.

CREAM-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 642,503, dated January 30, 1900.

Applicationflled May 29, 1899.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN STEFFEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maryville, in the county of Nodaway and State of Missouri, have invented anew and useful Cream- Separator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cream-separators of that class which employa volume of water to be applied directly to the milk and by reason of the difference in temperature and specific gravity thereof to separate the cream from the milk.

One object of the present invention is to prevent agitation of the milk, so as to obtain a complete separation of the cream and to prevent the water from mixing with the milk, whereby the water, the milk, and the cream may be kept separate and drawn off individually in the order named.

A further object is to provide improved means whereby the passage of the liquid contents of the device may be observed, so that the water, milk, and cream may not be mixed together when being drawn off.

To these ends the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva- Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line a: at, Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a receptacle,preferably in the form of a cylindrical can, as shown in the drawings, and having a removable cover 2. This can is provided ith a dished or conical bottom 3, located a ove the plane of the lower edge of the can and entirely housed thereby, whereby a pendent circumferential flange 4 Serial No. 718,713- (No modelfi is provided and upon which the device is adapted to stand.

Provided centrally through the dished bottom is an opening 5, preferably rectangular in shape, and pendent from the walls of this opening is a rectangular box or hollow extension 6, having its upper end open and communicating through the opening 5 with the interior of the can 1. A suitable discharge or drain pipe 7 is connected through the bottom of the box 6 by means of an L-shaped coupling 8, and the outer end of the pipe passes through one side of the flange 1 beneath the dished bottom of the can. The outer projecting end of the horizontal discharge-pipe is provided with a suitable valve or faucet 9, and connected to the horizontal pipe at a point intermediate of the adjacent side of the can and the faucet 9 is a vertical pipe 10, extending alongside of the can to about the upper end thereof, where it is provided with a removable funnel 11. The upper end of this vertical pipe is braced by means of a suitable strap or bracket 12, carried by the can-and embracing the pipe. Provided at a suitable point in the vertical pipe 10, preferably near the lower end thereof and above the horizontal pipe, is a valve 13, adapted to control the passage from the vertical into the horizontal pipe.

At a point in the flange 4 diametrically opposite the faucet 9 there is provided an opening 14, and the adjacent side of the box 6 is formed by a sheet or pane of glass 15, whereby the interior of the box may be seen through the opening 14. A suitable longitudinal glasscovered opening 16 is provided through one sigleof the can, so that the interior of the can 'may be seen, and one edge of the opening is graduated, as shown.

In the operation of the device the milk is 7 agitated by the water, but is gradually elevated thereby. WVhen the required amount of water has been introduced into the receptacle, the valve 13 is shut off to stop the inflow of water, and the contents of the can are allowed to stand until the cream has become separated from the milk and collected upon the upper surface thereof, as may be readily seen through the glass-covered opening 16. By reason of the fact that the water attacks or is brought into contact with the milk at the bottom thereof the same is not agitated, as hereinbefore described, and the water, the milk, and the cream are separated into entirely distinct divisions, with the water at the bottom and the cream at the top. After the cream has been separated from the milk the water is first drawn off through the faucet 9. By reason of the opening 14: and the glass side 15 of the box 6 the passage of the water may be readilyseen, so that the faucet 9 may be shut off when the milk begins to enter the box, whereby the water maybe drawn off entirely separate from the milk. Thus it will be seen that the water, the milk, and the cream maybe drawn off separately in the order named, so as to prevent mixing of these parts.

The present invention provides a simple device for separating cream, wherein the contents thereof may be readily observed, so as to determine when the separation has taken place, and also to regulate the drawing off of the contents, and thereby prevent mixing of the same. Furthermore, the device is compactly constructed, so that the parts are not liable to get out of order and may be readily cleansed, and thereby providing a sanitary device.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cream-separator of the class described, comprising a can or receptacle having an opening provided through the bottom thereof and a pendent box or hollow extension communieating with said opening and having a lateraltransparent opening, a discharge-pipe communicating through the bottom of the box or hollow extension, and an inlet-pipe adapted to introduce water below the bottom of the milk contained within the receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a cream-separator of the class described, the combination with a can or receptacle having an opening provided through the bottom thereof, and a pendent flange extending below the bottom of the receptacle and provided with a lateral opening, of a pendent box or hollow extension communicating with the opening in the bottom of the receptacle and provided with a lateral transparent opening alined with the opening in the flange, a discharge-pipe communicating through the bottom of the box or hollow extension, and an inlet-pipe adapted tointroduce water thro ugh the bottom of the receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a cream-separator of the class described, the combination with a can or receptacle having an opening formed through the bottom thereof, and a circumferential pendent flange extending below the bottom of the receptacle and provided with a transverse opening, of a pendent box or hollow extension communicating with the opening in the bottom of the receptacle and having a lateral transparent opening alined with the opening in the flange in the receptacle, a horizontal dischargepipe communicating through the bottom of the box or hollow extension and extending upwardly beyond one side of the receptacle, a valve or faucet provided at the outer end of the discharge-pipe, and an upright inlet-pipe connected to the dischargepipe between the valve thereof and the adjacent side of the receptacle, and provided with a valve adapted to control the inflow of water, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiflxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOI-IN STEFFEE.

IVitnesses:

GEO. W. CROSSAN, HILTON E. HUBBARD. 

